CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Interest income	$ 1,076,735		$ 645,072		$ 346,857
Interest expense	373,424		274,013		140,708
Net interest income (expense)	703,311		371,059		206,149
Impairment
Other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) on securities	10,264		5,788		1,391
Valuation provision (reversal) on loans and real estate owned	77,716		18,596		9,891
Total Impairment Charges	87,980		24,384		11,282
Net interest income after impairment	615,331		346,675		194,867
Servicing revenue, net	118,169		0		0
Other Income
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights	(7,297)		38,643		41,615
Change in fair value of investments in excess mortgage servicing rights, equity method investees	16,526		31,160		57,280
Change in fair value of investments in servicer advances	(7,768)		(57,491)		84,217
Earnings from investments in consumer loans, equity method investees	0		0		53,840
Gain on consumer loans investment	9,943		43,954		92,020
Gain on remeasurement of consumer loan investment	71,250		0		0
Gain (loss) on settlement of investments, net	(48,800)		(19,626)		31,297
Other income (loss), net	28,483		5,389		14,819
Total Other Income	62,337	[1]	42,029	[1]	375,088
Operating Expenses
General and administrative expenses	38,570		61,862		27,001
Management fee to affiliate	41,610		33,475		19,651
Incentive compensation to affiliate	42,197		16,017		54,334
Loan servicing expense	44,001		6,469		3,913
Subservicing expense	7,832		0		0
Total Operating Expenses	174,210		117,823		104,899
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes	621,627		270,881		465,056
Income tax expense (benefit)	38,911		(11,001)		22,957
Net Income (Loss)	582,716		281,882		442,099
Noncontrolling Interests in Income (Loss) of Consolidated Subsidiaries	78,263		13,246		89,222
Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders	$ 504,453		$ 268,636		$ 352,877
Net Income Per Share of Common Stock
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 2.12		$ 1.34		$ 2.59
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 2.12		$ 1.32		$ 2.53
Weighted Average Number of Shares of Common Stock Outstanding
Basic (in shares)	238,122,665		200,739,809		136,472,865
Diluted (in shares)	238,486,772		202,907,605		139,565,709
Dividend declared per share of common stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1.84		$ 1.75		$ 1.58

[1] Earnings from investments in equity method investees is included in other income.